Bringing the sea closer to the people
PETALING JAYA: After more than a decade of its establishment, marine research and conservation NGO MareCet Research Organisation has brought the sea 'closer' to the community.
MareCet executive director and co-founder Dr Louisa S. Ponnampalam said the NGO has expanded its programmes beyond confined spaces, bringing students and volunteers out to the field.
'We expanded our sea, science and schools programme further by taking it outdoors rather than just being indoors, and we engaged with many more rural schools in coastal areas.
'We have since taken students out to sea in search of dolphins and porpoises, where they also get to experience being a junior marine biologist for half a day,' she said in an interview.
Louisa added that MareCet has also brought students to the seashore to explore low tide as part of efforts to expose them to the marine world just behind their 'backyard'.
To reach out to wider audiences, Louisa said MareCet is aiming to conduct more Sekolah Lestari initiatives, including rural schools in coastal towns.
She said the group is also looking at developing the Love Our Lautan Stewardship Programme – a self-executed marine stewardship programme for local youth to build leadership and critical thinking skills in relation to marine conservation.
'At MareCet, we always strive to keep growing purposefully in our work in order to stay on track with our vision and achieve our mission,' she said.
In 2023, MareCet was named one of the recipients of the Star Golden Hearts Award (SGHA) for its efforts to bring marine conservation closer to the people.
Louisa said the recognition by SGHA is empowering and boosts the organisation's prominence at the national level.
'It has certainly given us visibility and increased our public following, which in turn gives us the motivation and confidence to keep striving to do better,' she said.
Louisa encouraged aspiring changemakers to hold firm to their beliefs to make a difference, adding that 'no action or idea is too small, and no ambition is too big to make for our planet'.
'In a rapidly changing world, we need all hands on deck to turn the tide around for the better.
'Be strategic but also pace yourself because bringing about change is like running a marathon. It is not a sprint,' she said.
The SGHA returns for the 11th edition to honour everyday Malaysians whose compassion and selflessness have made a lasting impact on others.
With McDonald's Malaysia as the new strategic partner, SGHA is poised to broaden its reach and deepen its impact nationwide.
This year also marks the debut of the McDonald's Caring Hearts Award – a special recognition honouring individuals or grassroots groups whose heartfelt acts of kindness have uplifted lives in profound and lasting ways.
Since its inception in 2015, SGHA has honoured over 100 individuals and organisations whose efforts have inspired action, transformed lives and strengthened communities nationwide.
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